Walking
by ProudAthena
Summary: Strolling off world, Jack pretends he's not interested in anything Daniel and Sam have to discuss.


_**Author's Note** – this is just a 'conversation piece', takes place off-world Season 7 sometime after Sam meets Pete. I was thinking about a long trip I did a couple of years ago with a mixed group of friends and how after a while you get comfortable enough to discuss pretty much anything with people……_

_**Disclaimer** – you know the drill, we don't own them, we make no money, all remain the property of, etc, etc._

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'Do you ever wear a bikini, Sam?'

Jack's steps faltered. Only Daniel could have got away with asking a question like that.

'No.'

And that certainly hadn't been the answer he expected to hear. He knew Sam, and he knew she had a body most women would envy, whatever their age, and he couldn't think of any reason why she wouldn't want to wear a bikini.

'Well, that's not strictly true. When I'm alone I wear a bikini, say sunbathing at home and stuff.'

'Oh.' Danny initially nodded as though in understanding before stopping to look at Sam in much the same puzzled way he'd look at an anomalous symbol in a translation. 'Why don't you wear one in public then?'

Jack muttered 'Yes!' under his breath and tried not to throw his arms around his best buddy for asking exactly the question that had been bugging him.

Daniel and Sam both stopped sharply and swung to face him where he was bringing up the rear. Sam's face was startled and slightly pink with embarrassment but Daniel was wearing his patented slightly amused but wickedly knowing smirk. It was a look Jack was realising he tended to see a lot when the three of them were together.

Damn rock fancier.

Jack feigned ignorance. 'Huh?'

Both stared back at him with differing degrees of flat disbelief but neither spoke and Jack caught himself wondering if there was something about the gene for blue eyes that made you more likely to be smart and whether there was an inverse correlation with brown eyes meaning you could potentially be as dumb as a box of rocks.

Not wanting to prolong the moment, and feeling an urgent need to reassert command, Jack waved officiously at the path in front of them. 'C'mon, kids, keep it moving.'

They turned back to the path and Jack realised he had been holding his breath only when Daniel resumed the conversation right where he'd left off.

'So. Sam?'

Sam threw a glare over her shoulder at Jack, who pretended extreme disinterest. He wasn't fooling her and in tacit acknowledgement of that fact, Jack reluctantly allowed himself to fall back a few more feet.

Not so far back that he would be unable to hear what they were saying however.

'It's not that I hate my body or anything.' She paused to consider her response, taking the opportunity to shift her grip slightly on the P90 she was carrying and rolling her shoulders to keep loose. 'It's just, I don't know, I've been around the block a few times and I guess I feel self-conscious about the scars and stuff.'

Daniel resisted the sudden urge to sling his arm over her shoulder and give her a quick hug but before he could say anything he found himself shoved off the path and knocked onto his ass by an incandescent Jack O'Neill.

Not even attempting to control his ire, Jack grabbed Sam's arm and yanked her around to face him. 'Sam, if that **prize shit Shanahan** ever makes even a passing reference to anything so much as a pimple, **I order you** to send him straight to me because I'm telling you now, with scars or without, you're beautiful.'

From his prone position just off the path, Daniel watched Jack make the realisation that he'd just overstepped the mark and Sam blush to the roots of her hair.

Dropping Sam's arm as though stung, Jack made a quick turn and pretended he was checking for potential hostiles behind them. 'Anyway, I'm just sayin'.' He muttered.

Without another word, Sam turned back to the path and set off at a virtual jog to catch up with Teal'c. She figured just at the moment she could do with some stoic, and hopefully silent, Jaffa company rather than any more of the questionable double act that was Jack and Daniel.

Still on the ground, Daniel smothered a laugh. 'Nice one, Jack. Playing our cards close to our chests today I see.'

'Shut up, Daniel.'

……………………………………………………

_Hope you liked it._

_Another little tid-bit to share with everyone – I had my hair cut yesterday and when I went to pick my 4yr old daughter up from nursery afterwards she said 'Mummy, you look like that person in Stargate!' _

_My heart lifted! Never a total lossif your daughter thinks you look like Sam Carter, right?_

_Turns out she meant Daniel._

_Please review – my ego could use the reassurance … …_


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